Peter Obi demands immediate release of Omoyele Sowore

Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on the Nigeria Police to either release activist Omoyele Sowore or charge him to court without delay.

In a statement posted on his X handle on Friday, Obi criticised the detention of Sowore, who he said voluntarily honoured a police invitation for questioning. He warned that such actions risk undermining public trust in national institutions.

“I was deeply disturbed to learn of the arrest of Mr Omoyele Sowore yesterday, shortly after he voluntarily honoured an invitation by the Nigerian Police Force,” Obi wrote, noting that no credible charges had been made public.

He argued that detaining someone who willingly appeared before law enforcement, without disclosing lawful charges, amounted to an abuse of state power and a miscarriage of justice.

Quoting Plato, Obi stressed that justice in governance can only exist when it resides in the hearts and souls of citizens, warning that unjust actions by those in authority corrode both the legal order and the nation’s moral conscience.

The former Anambra State governor urged the police to act swiftly, saying anything less than Sowore’s immediate release or formal arraignment would further damage public confidence in law enforcement.

He emphasised that the rule of law must apply equally to all Nigerians, regardless of political views or affiliations.